A general methodology for extracting and categorising flow patterns in turbulent stirred tank mixers based on 2-D network-of-zones (NoZ) model

Abstract

A general methodology for characterising stirred tank mixers using two-dimensional network-of-zones (2-D NoZ) model was introduced in this work. Starting from high resolution 3-D velocity field database such as CFD simulations, flow patterns were preserved and simplified into 2-D inter-zonal flowrates and mass imbalances were corrected in the defined routine. Mixing time estimation and turbulent dissipation rate profiles were chosen as metrics for evaluation of the generated 2-D NoZ model, which were compared to CFD passive scalar and literature results on two typical stirred tank geometries covering both radial flow and axial flow impellers.